We’ve bought and tested more than 95 LG TVs. LG releases a lot of TVs every year, more than any other TV manufacturer. LG was one of the first brands to release TVs with OLED panels, and they’ve quickly become their most popular lineup. They also have a wide selection of LED TVs, ranging from entry-level 4k TVs to high-end models with Mini LED backlights. Unfortunately, most of their LED TVs use IPS panels and don’t perform very well overall.
LG UQ8000
The LG UQ8000 is the best budget LG TV we’ve tested. It sits below the NANO Series TVs, like the LG NANO90 2021, and the main difference is that the UQ8000 uses a simpler panel design that can’t display as wide a range of colors. However, it comes with the same smart interface and the same Magic Remote that makes menu navigation feel smooth. Unfortunately, different sizes use different panel types, so they don’t all perform the same.
Sadly, the models with an IPS-like panel, like the 65-inch model we bought, aren’t good for use in dark rooms, which is typical of most LG TVs, as they have a low contrast ratio and blacks look gray. It also uses pulse width modulation to dim its backlight at all brightness, and since it flickers at 120Hz, there’s image duplication with fast-moving content that could get distracting and can cause headaches if you’re sensitive to flicker. Also, it doesn’t get very bright in SDR, but it at least has decent reflection handling if you have a few lights around.
LG UP7000
The LG UP7000 is an entry-level 4k TV. It sits below the LG UP8000 and has very few additional features. It has limited connectivity, with only two HDMI ports, which is disappointing if you need to connect multiple devices. Most sizes of this TV use an ADS panel. Similar to IPS panels, ADS panels provide a wide viewing angle, making it a great choice for a wide seating arrangement, as the image remains accurate when viewed from the side. Unfortunately, this also comes at the cost of a low contrast ratio, and since it also lacks a local dimming feature, blacks look gray when viewed in the dark. It features the same webOS smart interface as other LG models, which is easy-to-use and has a great selection of streaming apps and games available to download. However, it comes with a basic remote that doesn’t have any voice control or a point-and-press feature like the classic Magic Remote.
The LG UP7000 is okay overall. It performs best for watching TV shows, sports, or using it as a PC monitor because of its wide viewing angle. Although it’s not bright enough to combat a ton of glare, it still has decent reflection handling. Sadly, it’s disappointing for watching movies in a dark room because it has a low contrast ratio that makes blacks look gray, it doesn’t have a local dimming feature, and it can’t display a wide color gamut for HDR content.
LG NANO75 2022
The LG NANO75 2022, also known as the LG NanoCell 75 Series, is an entry-level 4k TV in LG’s NanoCell Series, and it’s the replacement for the LG NANO75 2021. It’s a pretty basic TV available in a wide range of sizes, but most have very few additional features. It runs the same webOS smart interface as LG’s higher-end models, which is fast and easy to use and has a great selection of streaming apps. It also comes with LG’s popular Magic Remote, which makes it very easy to navigate the user interface, as you can just point the remote where you want it to click, similar to a Wii remote.
The LG NANO75 is an alright TV. It’s best-suited for watching sports or shows in a moderately lit room, as it can’t overcome a lot of glare. It looks bad in a dark room, so it’s not a good choice for watching movies in the dark, as it has low contrast, poor black uniformity, and no local dimming feature. It’s okay for casual gaming, thanks to its exceptionally low input lag and a decent response time, but it lacks any advanced gaming features. Sadly, HDR adds nothing since it can’t display a wide color gamut, and it’s not bright enough for HDR highlights to stand out in any way.
LG QNED80
The LG QNED80 is the entry-level model in LG’s mid-range QNED lineup. It’s a new TV for 2022, sitting below the LG QNED85, and it combines quantum dot technology with LG’s proprietary NanoCell technology to display a wider range of colors compared to lower-range models. It’s available in a wide range of sizes, from 50 to 86 inches, but not all sizes perform the same. It’s missing features you would expect from a mid-range TV, like Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. It also doesn’t have Mini LED backlighting like most of the QNED lineup. Luckily, it has many of the same gaming features as higher-end models, like a 120Hz panel, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and variable refresh rate (VRR) support.
The LG QNED80 is okay for watching movies in dark rooms. It displays native 4k content or 1080p content without any issues and removes 24p judder from any source. However, it looks bad in dark rooms as it has a low native contrast with disappointing black uniformity, and even if it has a local dimming feature, it performs terribly.
Conclusion
LG undeniably offers top-shelf products with OLED TVs. This technology is now quite mature and is the best for most people. Unfortunately, these processes don’t reflect the rest of their TV range. While every LG smart TV comes packaged with its excellent webOS platform, the performance often leaves a lot to be desired. They have consistently great viewing angles, but that comes at the cost of having mediocre picture quality in a dark room, quite the opposite of their OLED offerings.
